engine BMW 128I CONVERTIBLE 2008 E88 Owner's Guide

Driving tips
115Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Drive defensively
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking
maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-
tance to the forward vehicle. A defensive and
smooth driving style keeps fuel consumption
down.
Avoid high engine speeds
Only use first gear when setting off. In second
and higher gears, accelerate without hesitation
or pauses. When accelerating, shift up before
reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con-
stant speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Coasting
When approaching a red light, take your foot off
the accelerator and coast to a stop in the high-
est applicable gear.
O n a d o w n h il l s lo p e , t a k e y o u r f o o t o f f t h e a c c el -
erator and coast in a suitable gear.
The fuel supply is interrupted when coasting.
Switch off the engine during lengthy
stops
Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy
periods, e.g. at traffic lights, railroad crossings
or in traffic congestions. You achieve fuel sav-
ings even if standing time is as short as approx.
4 seconds.
Switch off functions you do not need at
the moment
Functions such as the air conditioner and the
seat or rear window heating draw large amounts
of power and consume additional fuel. Espe-
cially in city traffic and in stop-and-go driving
they have a considerable impact. Therefore,
switch these functions off when they are not
really needed.
Have the vehicle serviced
Have the vehicle serviced regularly to achieve
good economy and a long vehicle life. BMW
recommends having the vehicle serviced at a
BMW center. Also note the BMW service sys-
tem, refer to page217.
General driving notes
Close the luggage compartment lid
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid is closed. Other-
wise, exhaust fumes could enter the interior of
the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the luggage
compartment lid open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page99.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed in
its vicinity, and never apply undercoating to
them. When driving, standing at idle and while
parking, take care to avoid possible contact
between the hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, with the
risk of serious personal injuries and property
damage. Do not touch hot exhaust tail pipes.
Otherwise there is a risk of burns.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This situation, known as hydroplaning,
means that the tire can completely lose contact
with the road surface, so that neither the car can
be steered nor the brake be properly applied.<

Things to remember when driving
116 The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page209.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a
lengthy period using the clutch; use the
parking brake instead. Otherwise greater clutch
wear will result.<
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page83.
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent brake pressure can lead to high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page61.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
with the transmission in neutral or with
the engine switched off; otherwise, engine
braking action will not be present or there will be
no power assistance to the brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals, otherwise pedal function could be
impaired.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the automatic cli-
mate control is in operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
under the vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
General information on caring for your BMW
can be found on page219.

Driving tips
117Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
With convenient access and automatic
transmission
Insert the remote control into the ignition
switch.
The engine can be switched off when the selec-
tor lever is in position N. Refer also to page37.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. This can ultimately
result in a sudden blow-out.<
Make sure that no liquids are spilled or
leak from their containers in the cargo
bay, as this could result in damage to the vehi-
cle.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or YYY lbs. Otherwise, overloading
can result in damage to the vehicle and
unstable driving conditions.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY
pounds.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the YYY amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permissible load is the total of the weight of
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the
weight of the occupants, the less cargo/lug-
gage can be transported.
Stowing cargo
Coupe

Telephoning
176
Telephoning
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full mobile phone
preparation package. After pairing a suitable
mobile phone with the vehicle once, you can
operate the mobile phone via iDrive, the buttons
on the steering wheel or via voice commands.
Once a mobile phone has been paired with your
vehicle, it is automatically recognized as soon
as it is inside the vehicle while the engine is run-
ning or the ignition is switched on. You can
store the pairing data for up to four mobile
phones simultaneously. If several mobile
phones are detected at the same time, the
mobile phone last paired can be operated via
the vehicle.
Using the telephone inside
the vehicle
Using the snap-in adapter*
The so-called snap-in adapter, a holder for
mobile phones, allows you to charge the mobile
phone's battery and connect the mobile phone
to your vehicle's outside antenna. This ensures
better network reception and consistent repro-
duction quality. Please contact your
BMW center to find out for which mobile
phones there are snap-in adapters available.
For your safety
A car phone makes life more convenient in
many ways, and can even save lives in an emer-
gency. While you should consult your mobile
phone's separate Owner's Manual for a detailed
description of safety precautions and informa-
tion, we request that you direct your particular
attention to the following:
Only make entries when the traffic situa-
tion allows you to do so. Do not hold the
mobile phone in your hand while you are driving;
use the hands-free system instead. If you do
not observe this precaution, your being dis-tracted can endanger vehicle occupants and
other road users.<
Suitable mobile phones
Please ask your BMW center which mobile
phones with Bluetooth interface are supported
by the mobile phone preparation package and
which mobile phones are compatible with the
snap-in adapter. By virtue of their particular
software versions, these mobile phones sup-
port the functions described in this Owner's
Manual. Malfunctions may occur with other
mobile phones.
Care instructions
Important information on this subject can be
found in the separate mobile phone Owner's
Manual.
Operating options
You can operate the mobile phone* using:
>Buttons on the steering wheel, refer to
page11
>iDrive, refer to page181
>Voice commands, refer to page187
>Programmable memory keys, refer to
page21
Avoid operating a mobile phone recognized by
the vehicle via the mobile phone's keypad, oth-
erwise malfunctions may result.
Making phone calls with the
BMW Assist system*: BMW Assist
calls
You can use the BMW Assist System via the
hands-free unit for BMW Assist calls.
*

Telephoning
178 7.Move the highlight marker to the second
field from the top, select "Phone" and press
the controller.
8.Select "Pair new phone" and press the con-
troller.
9.Select "Start pairing" and press the control-
ler.
The Bluetooth name of the vehicle is dis-
played.
Preparation via the mobile phone
10.Further steps must be carried out with the
mobile phone and vary depending on the
model. Please refer to your mobile phone's
operating instructions, e.g. under the topics
of Searching for a Bluetooth device, Linking
or Pairing.
The Bluetooth name of the vehicle also
appears on the mobile phone display.
11.Select the Bluetooth name of the vehicle on
the mobile phone display.
Pairing
Depending on your mobile phone, you will see
messages, first on the mobile phone display or
on the iDrive, requesting you to enter the same
Bluetooth passkey previously determined by
you.
12.Enter the Bluetooth passkey.
Depending on the mobile phone, you will
have approx. 30 seconds to enter your
Bluetooth passkey on the mobile phone
and the Control Display.
13.Move the highlight marker to the third field
from the top, select "Confirm passkey" and
press the controller.
14.Wait several seconds until the "Communi-
cation" menu is displayed.
The next time you use the mobile phone inside
the vehicle, it will be recognized within no more
than 2 minutes as long as the engine is running
or the ignition is switched on.
With some mobile phones it may be nec-
essary to make certain settings for a per-
manent Bluetooth link, e. g. using the authoriza-
tion or secure connection menu item, refer to
your mobile phone's operating instructions.<

Telephoning
182 >Selecting stored phone numbers, e.g. from
the list of accepted calls
>Ending a call
When the ignition and radio readiness are
switched off, e.g. after taking the remote control
out of the ignition switch, you can continue an
ongoing call via the hands-free system for no
more than 25 minutes.
Voice quality
If the person you are talking to is having difficul-
ties understanding you, this may be due to
excessive background noise. The full mobile
phone preparation package can compensate
for these noises to a certain extent. To optimize
voice quality during a call, we recommend that
you:
>Reduce background noise, e.g. by closing
the windows, reducing air flow from the
automatic climate control or by pointing the
open front air vents downward
>Reduce the volume of the hands-free sys-
tem
Requirements
>The mobile phone's pairing data are stored
by the vehicle and the mobile phone is oper-
ational.
>The engine is running or the ignition is
switched on.
>The mobile phone is recognized by the
vehicle.
Calling up communication
Many of the functions described below are con-
trolled using the "Communication" menu.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.1.Press the button to call up the start
menu.
2.Move the controller forwards to call up
"Communication".
Receiving calls
If you have the phone number of the caller
stored in the phone book and the phone num-
ber has been transmitted, the name of the entry
is displayed.
Accepting a call
Press the button on the steering wheel.
Alternatively:
"Accept" is selected.
Press the controller.
Rejecting a call
Select "Reject" and press the controller.
The caller is diverted to your mailbox if it has
been activated.

Telephoning
186 3.Select "BMW Contact" and press the con-
troller.
4.Select "BMW Contact Numbers" and press
the controller.
5.Select one of the following menu items and
press the controller:
>"Roadside Assistance"
>"Customer Relations"
>"Service Request"
6.Select "Call" and press the controller.
Contact will be established.
Dialing phone numbers via touch tones
Touch-tone dialing is required for access to
network services or for controlling devices, e.g.
for remote querying on an answering machine.
This function is available whenever there is a
connection.1.Establish connection.
2.Move the controller backwards until the
bottom field is selected.
3.Select the desired touch-tone character

and press the controller.
Each selection is transmitted immediately
and is confirmed by a tone, depending on
the type of mobile phone you are using.
Switching between mobile
phone and hands-free system
From mobile phone to hands-free
system*
You can continue ongoing calls outside of the
vehicle's Bluetooth range via the hands-free
system as long as the engine is running or the
ignition is switched on. Depending on your
mobile phone, the system automatically
switches to hands-free mode.
With mobile phones that do not automatically
switch to hands-free mode:
>Depending on the type of mobile phone you
are using, it may be possible to continue the
conversation via the hands-free system.
Refer to the display on your mobile phone

Refueling
202
Refueling
Always switch off the engine before refu-
eling, otherwise, fuel cannot be added to
the tank and a message will be displayed.<
Take all precautionary measures and
observe all applicable regulations when
handling fuel. Do not carry any spare fuel con-
tainers in your vehicle. They can develop a leak
and cause an explosion or cause a fire in the
event of an accident.<
Fuel filler door
Opening
1.Open fuel filler door. To do so, lightly press
the rear edge.
2.Turn the gas cap counterclockwise.
3.Place the gas cap in the bracket attached to
the fuel filler door.
Closing
Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you clearly
hear a click.
Do not pinch the band attached to the
cap, otherwise the cap cannot be closed
properly and fuel vapors can escape. A mes-
sage will be displayed if the gas cap is loose or
missing.<
Manually releasing the fuel filler door
In the event of a malfunction, you can release
the fuel filler door manually:1.Remove the cover from the right-hand side-
wall of the cargo bay.
2.Pull the button with the fuel pump symbol
down.
The fuel filler door is released.
Observe the following when refueling
When handling fuels, follow the safety
instructions provided at filling stations,
otherwise there is a risk of personal injury or
property damage.<
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid lifting the filler
nozzle while filling the tank, as that would lead
to
>premature pump shutoff
>reduced efficiency of the fuel-vapor recov-
ery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.
Fuel tank capacity
Approx. 14 US gallons/53 liters, including the
reserve capacity of 2.1 US gallons/8 liters.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, otherwise engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur.<
Fuel specifications
Do not fill the tank with leaded fuel, as this
would cause permanent damage to the

Mobility
203Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
catalytic converter.
Do not fill the tank with E85, i.e. fuel containing
85 % ethanol, nor with FlexFuel. Otherwise the
engine and fuel supply system will be dam-
aged.<
Required fuel
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is:
>128i: 87
>135i: 89
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat-
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
Do not use any gasoline below the speci-
fied minimum fuel grade. Otherwise the
engine could be damaged.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition,
additives, etc., among gasolines offered for sale
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10Ξ ethanol or other
oxygenates with up to 2.8Ξ oxygen by weight,
that is, 15Ξ MTBE or 3Ξ methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent, will not void
the applicable warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
driveability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter driveability problems
which you suspect could be related to the fuel
you are using, we recommend that you respond
by switching to a recognized high-quality brand
such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier
Detergent Gasoline.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may also result in unscheduled maintenance.<

Under the hood
212
Under the hood
Do not work on the car unless you pos-
sess the necessary technical knowledge.
If you are unfamiliar with the statutory guide-
lines, have any work on the vehicle performed
only by a BMW center or by a workshop that
work according to BMW repair procedures with
correspondingly trained personnel. If this work
is not carried out properly, there is a danger of
subsequent damage and related safety haz-
ards.<
Hood
Releasing
Pull the lever.
Opening
To avoid damage, make sure that the
wiper arms are against the windshield
before you open the engine compartment. Do
not open the engine hood before the engine has
cooled down, otherwise injuries may result.<
Press the release handle and open the hood.
Closing
Close the hood from a height of approx. 16 in/
40 cm with momentum. It must be clearly heard
to engage.
Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear, otherwise injuries may
result.
If you see any signs while driving your vehicle
that the hood is not completely closed, stop at
once and close it securely.<